New team of Marines sent in to shore up security at the U.S. embassy in Haiti

A new team of U.S. Marines has been sent to Haiti to help protect the American embassy, the U.S. military said Wednesday, a day after the country’s prime minister announced his resignation following months of rising unrest and gang violence.

The U.S. Southern Command said in a statement that a fleet-anti-terrorism security team, known as FAST, was deployed to the embassy in the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which has been at the center of the chaos and civil disorder.

The Marines are in the beleaguered Caribbean nation to “maintain strong security capabilities at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and conduct relief in place for our current Marines, a common and routine practice worldwide,” the statement said.

The statement added that the embassy remains open, although only limited operations continue, including “supporting Haitian-led efforts to secure a peaceful transition of power.”

A spokesperson said that “U.S. Southern Command is prepared with a wide range of contingency plans to ensure the safety and security of U.S. Citizens in Haiti.”

Read more: NBC News